26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

What are vitamins, and how do they

work?
Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT on
September 26, 2017 — Written by Yvette Brazier

What are vitamins? Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins Types

Dietary sources Video: The ABCs of vitamins

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How this works.

Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in small

quantities to sustain life. Most vitamins need to come from
food.

This is because the human body either does not produce enough of
them, or it does not produce any at all.

Each organism has different vitamin requirements. For example, humans

need to consume vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, but dogs do not. Dogs can
produce, or synthesize, enough vitamin C for their own needs, but
humans cannot.

People need to get most of their vitamin D from exposure to sunlight,

because it is not available in large enough quantities in food. However,
the human body can synthesize it when exposed to sunlight.

Different vitamins have different roles, and they are needed in different
quantities.

This article explains what vitamins are, what they do, and which foods
provide each type. Follow the links for more information about each type
of vitamin.

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Fast facts on vitamins

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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Here are some key points about vitamins. More detail and
supporting information is in the main article.

There are 13 known vitamins.

Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble.
Fat-soluble vitamins are easier for the body to store than
water-soluble.
Vitamins always contain carbon, so they are described as
"organic."
Food is the best source of vitamins, but some people may
be advised by a physician to use supplements.

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What are vitamins?

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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of a range of vitamins.

A vitamin is one of a group of organic substances that is present in minute

amounts in natural foodstuffs. Vitamins are essential to normal
metabolism. If we do not take enough of any kind of vitamin, certain
medical conditions can result.

A vitamin is both:

an organic compound, which means it contains carbon

an essential nutrient that body cannot produce enough of and which
it needs to get from food

There are currently 13 recognized vitamins.

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Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins

Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the fatty tissues of the body and the
liver. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. These are easier to store than 
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water-soluble vitamins, and they can stay in the body as reserves for
days, and sometimes months.
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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the
help of fats, or lipids.

Water-soluble vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the body for long. The body cannot
store them, and they are soon excreted in urine. Because of this, water-
soluble vitamins need to be replaced more often than fat-soluble ones.

Vitamin C and all the B vitamins are water soluble.

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Types
Here are the different types of vitamins.

Vitamin A

Chemical names: Retinol, retinal, and four carotenoids, including beta

carotene.

It is fat soluble.

Deficiency may cause night-blindness and keratomalacia, an eye

disorder that results in a dry cornea.

Good sources include: Liver, cod liver oil, carrots, broccoli, sweet
potato, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkin, collard greens, some
cheeses, egg, apricot, cantaloupe melon, and milk.
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Vitamin B

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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Chemical name: thiamine.

It is water soluble.
Deficiency may cause beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Good sources include: yeast, pork, cereal grains, sunflower seeds,

brown rice, whole-grain rye, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes,
oranges, liver, and eggs.

Vitamin B2

Chemical name: Riboflavin

It is water soluble

Deficiency may cause ariboflavinosis

Good sources include: asparagus, bananas, persimmons, okra,

chard, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, meat, eggs, fish, and green
beans

Vitamin B3

Chemical names: Niacin, niacinamide

It is water soluble.
Deficiency may cause pellagra, with symptoms of diarrhea,
dermatitis, and mental disturbance.

Good sources include: liver, heart, kidney, chicken, beef, fish (tuna,
salmon), milk, eggs, avocados, dates, tomatoes, leafy vegetables,
broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, asparagus, nuts, whole-grains,
legumes, mushrooms, and brewer's yeast.

Vitamin B5

Chemical name: Pantothenic acid

It is water soluble.

Deficiency may cause paresthesia, or "pins and needles."

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Good sources
A D V E Rinclude:
T I S E M E N T meats, whole-grains (milling may remove it),

broccoli, avocados, royal jelly, and fish ovaries.

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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Vitamin B6

Chemical names: Pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal

It is water soluble.

Deficiency may cause anemia, peripheral neuropathy, or damage to

parts of the nervous system other than the brain and spinal cord.

Good sources include: meats, bananas, whole-grains, vegetables,

and nuts. When milk is dried, it loses about half of its B6. Freezing
and canning can also reduce content.

Vitamin B7

Chemical name: Biotin

it is water soluble.

Deficiency may cause dermatitis or enteritis, or inflammation of the

intestine.

Good sources include: egg yolk, liver, some vegetables.

Vitamin B9

Chemical names: Folic acid, folinic acid

It is water soluble.
Deficiency during pregnancy is linked to birth defects. Pregnant
women are encouraged to supplement folic acid for the entire year
before becoming pregnant.
Good sources include: leafy vegetables, legumes, liver, baker's
yeast, some fortified grain products, and sunflower seeds. Several
fruits have moderate amounts, as does beer.

Vitamin B12

Chemical names: Cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin

It is water soluble.
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Deficiency may cause megaloblastic anemia, a condition where
bone marrow produces unusually large, abnormal, immature red
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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

blood cells.

Good sources include: fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and
dairy products, some fortified cereals and soy products, as well as
fortified nutritional yeast.

Vegans are advised to take B12 supplements.

Vitamin C

Chemical name: Ascorbic acid

It is water soluble.

Deficiency may cause megaloblastic anemia.

Good sources include: fruit and vegetables. The Kakadu plum and
the camu camu fruit have the highest vitamin C contents of all foods.
Liver also has high levels. Cooking destroys vitamin C.

Vitamin D

Chemical names: Ergocalciferol, cholecalciferol.

It is fat soluble.

Deficiency may cause rickets and osteomalacia, or softening of the

bones.

Good sources: Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) through sunlight or

other sources causes vitamin D to be produced in the skin. Also
found in fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, and mushrooms.

Vitamin E

Chemical names: Tocopherols, tocotrienols

It is fat soluble.

Deficiency is uncommon, but it may cause hemolytic anemia in

newborns. This is a condition where blood cells are destroyed and
removed from the blood too early.

Good sources include: Kiwi fruit, almonds, avocado, eggs, milk, nuts,
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leafy green vegetables, unheated vegetable oils, wheat germ, and
whole-grains.
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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Vitamin K

Chemical names: Phylloquinone, menaquinones

It is fat soluble.

Deficiency may cause bleeding diathesis, an unusual susceptibility

to bleeding.

Good sources include: leafy green vegetables, avocado, kiwi fruit.

Parsley contains a lot of vitamin K.

Dietary sources
The 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines focus on the overall diet as the
best way to get enough nutrients for good health. Vitamins should come
firstly from a balanced and varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

However, in some cases, fortified foods and supplements may be

appropriate.

A health professional may recommend vitamin supplements for people

with certain conditions, during pregnancy, or for those on a restricted diet.

Those taking supplements should take care not to exceed the stated
maximum dose, as health problems can result. Some medications can
interact with vitamin supplements, too, so it is important to talk to a
healthcare provider before using supplements.

There is a selection of vitamin supplements available for purchase online.

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26/12/2019 Vitamins: What are they and what do they do?

Video: The ABCs of vitamins

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Nutrition / Diet

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